Macron and Merkel sent appeal to Putin over situation in eastern Ghouta

Saturday, February 24, 2018 12:00:43 PM

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a joint letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting the approval of a UN Security Council resolution on a truce in Syria, reported Le Figaro, citing the Élysée Palace.

In the letter, the leaders of France and Germany asked Putin to support the draft resolution, which calls for a cessation of hostilities for a period of 30 days in order to deliver humanitarian aid to Eastern Ghouta, as well as to evacuate the wounded.

"For now, we do not know how Russia will react to this," the publication was told by the Elysee Palace.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia was ready to agree on a UN Security Council resolution for a humanitarian pause in Syrian Eastern Ghouta, but that it would require a guarantee from all parties regarding their readiness to adhere to the truce.

According to the proposed resolution, the armistice regime must enter into force 72 hours after its adoption. 48 hours after the establishment of the ceasefire, the UN will begin shipping humanitarian supplies, as well as initiating emergency medical evacuation.